Robert Leuci

Adjunct Faculty, Creative Writing
Department of English, University of Rhode Island

 An Adjunct Faculty member in the English Department since 2003, Bob taught courses in fiction writing and screenwriting as well as numerous Independent Studies in areas that ranged from detective fiction to memoir-writing. He was an extremely active member of the creative writing community at the university where he lent his wisdom, knowledge, vast experience, warm humor, and large-hearted help in the yearly planning of the Ocean State Summer Writing Conference. He also taught workshops, led discussions, and hosted visiting writers, editors and agents annually at the conference for the past nine years.

To many, the details of Bob’s fascinating, courageous, and risky career as a member of the New York City Police Department preceded him. His work to expose police corruption in the organized crime and narcotics units of the NYPD in the 1970s spawned a bestselling book based on Bob’s story—The Prince of the City by Robert Daly, as well as the Hollywood film that followed, directed by Sidney Lumet and with Treat Williams in Bob’s role. Following Prince and encouraged by his friend, the major American fiction writer, Robert Stone, Bob decided to become a writer himself.

It was this passionate second phase of his life and career that most people knew him for, and deeply benefited from, at the University of Rhode Island where Bob was known for inspiring and encouraging students to find the stories within them that they had to tell and to craft those stories with care. In addition to teaching creative writing, Bob lectured on police ethics and undercover work at over 40 colleges, universities and law schools. He lectured on these subjects at numerous municipal and state police departments across the country, and at the FBI’s academy at Quantico, Virginia. Bob published six novels and numerous short stories, as well as a multitude of magazine pieces and book reviews while also working to adapt his work to the stage. His memoir, All the Centurions, was published by Harper Collins in 2004 and focused on his years with the NYPD. To date, four of his novels have been translated and published in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Croatia.

The Robert Leuci Memorial Scholarship has been made possible by Bob’s family and friends to provide support for a URI student studying fiction or screenwriting to attend the Ocean State Summer Writing Conference. An opportunity like this will be invaluable to a student at the beginning of his or her writing career. Click here to download a scholarship application.

Touched and changed by all who encountered him, our colleague, teacher and friend, Bob Leuci is sorely missed.

Read more about Bob’s life:
From The Providence Journal
From The New York Times
A New York Times article from 1981